WASHINGTON — Alex Ovechkin scored two power-play goals and Matt Niskanen had the winner as the Washington Capitals beat the New York Rangers 4-3 in overtime on Wednesday night.
Ovechkin has six goals in six games to start the season after scoring 49 last year. His 24 career goals against Henrik Lundqvist are the most against any goaltender in the NHL.
Niskanen beat Lundqvist 2:18 into overtime, putting the puck into an empty net as Lundqvist lunged to try to stop the shot. John Carlson had Washington’s other goal.
Capitals goalie Braden Holtby stopped 29 of the 32 shots in arguably his best game of this season. One of his biggest saves came with time running out in the second period when he denied Kevin Hayes on a short-handed breakaway, and Ovechkin tied up Neal Pionk’s stick to prevent a rebound goal.
Mika Zibanejad, Jimmy Vesey and Chris Kreider scored for New York, which was playing the second half of a back-to-back after beating Colorado in a shootout Tuesday. Lundqvist made 34 saves in his second game in as many nights.
CANADIENS 3, BLUES 2: Brendan Gallagher scored with 11 seconds left to give host Montreal its third straight victory.
NOTES
HURRICANES: Carolina assigned forward Martin Necas and defenseman Haydn Fleury to its AHL affiliate in Charlotte and recalled forward Clark Bishop.
RED WINGS: Detroit claimed winger Jacob de la Rose off waivers from Montreal.
The 23-year-old de la Rose has an opportunity to get plenty of ice time with the Red Wings if he’s cleared to play after having a cardiac episode earlier this month.
SENATORS: The Senators will be without rookie Brady Tkachuk for about a month after he tore a ligament in his leg.
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